Text It
by LLF
Summary: Susan Lewis and the families from 'The Duplex'...a continuation of 'The Mouse and the Mayflower'. Definitely AU. Definitely sugar coated. Definitely fun.
1. Can't Wait To See You!

"_Can't wait to see you tonight. What are you going to wear?" _

Susan Lewis suppressed a smile and quickly tapped a text message reply into her cell phone.

"My…black…dress….and…strappy…heels," she mouthed silently as she typed and then clicked 'send'. She waited a moment for his response and then, smiling, slipped the phone into the pocket of her lab coat. She took a deep breath and pushed open the door to the lounge. It was strangely quiet as she made her way to the refrigerator across the room. She opened the door and found her soup mug and closed the door. Wordlessly she loosened the top on the mug and slipped it into the microwave. She tapped the buttons to start the reheating and turned around suddenly.

"You've been talking about me again,' she accused. Chuny shook her head and Inez shrugged.

"Not really….of course not," they said in unison. Susan grimaced knowingly and made her way to the table where they sat. She turned the lap top in front of Chuny around and sighed.

"Let me help you out," she said as she began to type. "Northwestern Memorial Hospital…..infectious diseases….Dr. Scott Porter." When his picture came up on the screen from the hospital's website, she grinned and then turned the laptop back to Chuny.

"I've been away all week, Susan," Chuny moaned. "I just heard about your new guy." She looked at the screen and her eyes widened.

"Oh…..nice," she nodded. "I really need to go on vacation with you."

"Abby said it was fate that brought them together," Inez said as she studied the picture again. The microwave beeped and Susan took her mug of soup out and took the lid off. She stirred the thick, home made broth and took a sip.

"Dr. Lockhart has a lot of things to say about our Thanksgiving vacation," she said as she blew on her lunch to cool it off a bit.

"She said Dr. Kovac had every single minute planned," Inez said to Chuny and they chuckled.

"What did Cosmo think of Disney World?'" Chuny asked as she looked up at Susan again.

"Cosmo…..and Lauren….would like to live there forever and ever," Susan laughed. "Me too." She frowned as she looked into the mug again.

"I thought I wanted this for lunch," she sighed. She snapped the top back on the mug and put it back in the refrigerator.

"So if he works at Northwestern and you are here," Chuny asked as she shut down the laptop. "Do you get to see each other much?"

"It's only been a week, Chuny" Susan laughed. "And there's work and Cosmo and Susie and he has two daughters of his own. It's complicated." Chuny put the computer back on the intern desk and turned to her expectantly. Susan grimaced playfully.

"We have a date tonight," she chuckled. Chuny squealed and hugged her.

"I'm so happy for you!" she said. "Its been a long time, you know?"

"Its just dinner, Chuny," Susan cried. "I've been out to dinner before." They both looked up as the door to the lounge burst open.

"GWS, Dr. Lewis," a nurse said briskly. "ETA is less than five." Susan nodded and took a deep breath as she headed toward the door and followed the little nurse out into the busy ER hallway. It was going to be a long afternoon.

And long it was. A gang fight sent multiple victims into the ER. An apartment fire sent more. And then there were the others that waited impatiently in the waiting room for their turn with triage and treatment. Susan was exhausted when she opened the front door of the duplex and dropped her bag onto the chair next to the door. She picked up the mail that was waiting on the small table next to the chair and rifled through the bills and advertisements.

"Susie?" she called. "Cosmo?"

"Hi!" Susie said as she came from the basement door with a basket of laundry. "I thought you'd be home sooner to get ready." Susan shrugged. Susie dropped the basket onto the couch and sat down to sort through the socks and tee shirts and washcloths.

"What time is Dr. Porter picking you up tonight anyway?" she asked. Susan kicked her shoes off and then bent to pick them up.

"I got stuck with a patient so I am going to take a cab and meet him at the restaurant in…" she glanced down at her watch. Her eyes widened.

"In an hour," she gasped. "Where's Cosmo?" Susie tipped her head toward the stairs.

"He was kind of crabby this afternoon when he came home from Zach's house," she said. "He said he wanted to go upstairs and read for a while."

"I'll check on him and then take a quick shower," Susan said and made her way up the staircase. She peeked into Cosmo's room and smiled softly. He was sound asleep on his bed with a Peter Pan picture book across his tummy. His cheeks were flushed and he was snoring slightly. She left his door open and went into the bathroom to get the water running for her shower. It was going to feel so good tonight.

And it did feel good. It felt good to shower after such a rough shift. It felt good to slip into silky underclothes and a slinky dress again. It felt good to fasten in new earrings and buckle on heels she hadn't worn in ages. And it felt good to know that she was going to be seeing him again. Alone.

Susan examined herself in the full length mirror behind her bedroom door and smiled in satisfaction. The Disney World tan hadn't been washed out yet and her hair was definitely having a good day. She ran her fingers through the shoulder length waves and reached for a perfume bottle from the dresser top. She dabbed a little on her wrists and then her neck and set the bottle back. She took one more look at herself in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction.

Susan crossed the hall to Cosmo's bedroom and frowned a little when she saw that he was still sleeping soundly. She kicked aside the jacket, shoes and toys that were strewn across his floor and made her way to the edge of his bed.

"Cosmo?" she said quietly as she sat down on the blue and gray quilt next to him. She put her hand on his cheek and her eyes widened.

"Honey, you're burning up," she gasped and shook him a little. Cosmo's eyes fluttered open and he grimaced as the rays from the airplane light on the bedside table burned painfully. He blinked up at his mother as she brushed the hair off his forehead and pressed a cool hand there.

"You have a fever, kiddo," she said as she slipped the book from his tummy into the bookshelf next to them. Cosmo nodded and then suddenly jerked forward as he emptied the contents from his stomach into her lap.

"Cos!" she shrieked.

"I'm sorry, Mom," he began to cry and vomited again. Susan grimaced and held her hand to the little boy's back, waiting till he was through. She grabbed the small blanket from the end of his bed to mop up the mess in her lap.

"I'm sorry, mommy," he cried again as he lay back against his pillows.

"Aw, honey, you couldn't help it," she crooned and felt his head again. "Are you okay, now?"

"What happened?" Susie asked as she burst into the room. She grimaced as Susan lifted the blanket in her lap.

"I think I'm sick," Cosmo moaned. Susan chuckled a little and stood up.

"Yeah, I think you are….." she sighed and looked at Susie. "Can you get that big popcorn bowl from the kitchen? He might need it."

"Ew," Susie waved. "Okay….."

"Mommy, don't leave me," Cosmo cried in panic.

"I won't, honey," Susan said. "I'm just going to change out of this dress and get a wash cloth for you." Cosmo nodded tearfully and closed his eyes.

"But what about, Dr. Porter?" Susie whispered when they were in the hallway. "I'll be here with him, Aunt Susan. You can still go." Susan sniffed the aura from the blanket in her hands and shook her head.

"No," she said. "I don't think so. Not tonight. Just put this in the washing machine and get that bowl up here as soon as you can." Susie nodded and disappeared holding the folded blanket at arms length. Susan went into the bathroom and unzipped the dress, letting it fall to her feet. She undid the straps of her heels and kicked them into the hall. She took the blue terrycloth bathrobe from its hook on the back of the bathroom door and wrapped it around her. She pulled a clean washcloth from the drawer under the sink and quickly rinsed it with cold water. She made her way back to Cosmo's bedroom and eased herself back onto the edge of his bed. Cosmo looked up at her with bleary eyes and closed them again as she carefully wiped the cool washcloth over his face.

"That feels good," he murmured. Susan smiled and pulled another blanket from the foot of his bed. She tucked it around him and kissed his freckled cheek.

"We'll get you into some pajamas later, sweetie," she said. The little boy nodded and settled back into his pillows and sleep. Susan looked up at Susie brought a big plastic bowl into the room. Susan set it on the floor next to the bed and then smiled ruefully as Susie handed her cell phone to her. She looked up at the girl and sighed heavily.

"Could you get a glass of something for him to drink?" Susan asked. "I'm not sure what we have in the refrigerator right now. And there's a bottle of ibuprofen in the medicine chest." Susie nodded and disappeared in search of the requested items. Susan studied the phone for a moment and then punched in a text message. She frowned in disappointment as she hit the send button and then reached to smooth the hair off her sleeping son's forehead. The disappointment faded and was replaced with worry.


	2. Have To Cancel

""_Have to cancel. C had the stomach flu all over my black dress. Sorry." _

He had been disappointed when he'd gotten the message on his phone. It wasn't the kind of place where reservations came easily. In fact, he had had to call in a few favors to get them. And their seats were perfect. But he understood. It wasn't like it was something he hadn't had to deal with himself. He'd looked out over the lights of the city, 40 floors below, taken a good stiff swallow from his wine glass and tangled with his waiter and maitre d' about carry outs. Finding the house was easy enough. Even choosing which door was hers was a no brainer. And Susie was delighted to see him….or at least see the stack of boxes he'd been carrying.

Scott made his way up the stairs and smiled a little as he stepped over the black high heels on the floor in front of the bathroom door. There was a damp black dress on a hanger on the shower curtain rod. He peeked into the next door and smiled a little. She was stretched out on the bed against the wall next to a sleeping Cosmo. His eyes traced the length of her - from her tousled hair and closed eyes to the faded red baseball jersey with the letters 'ER' emblazoned over her breasts, down the ratty gray sweat pants to the heavy striped socks on her feet. She looked absolutely beautiful. He almost hated to wake her. Scott took a deep breath and tapped lightly on the bedroom door. Susan jerked and opened her eyes. She looked up at him in confusion and started to sit up.

"No, stay where you are," Scott whispered. "I thought you might need this." He set a bottle of ginger ale on the night stand near the glass of apple juice.

"Thank you!" Susan gasped quietly. She shifted on the bed next to Cosmo and gently patted the little boy's back. "We watered the apple juice down but I'm afraid it didn't sit well on his stomach." She watched as Scott loosened his tie and sat down on the floor next to the bed. He grimaced and then grinned as he pulled a fully jointed action figure from under his seat and tossed it aside. He studied Cosmo's sleeping face and then his eyes met hers.

"Fever?" he asked. She nodded and then felt the little boy's forehead.

"Yeah, but I think its going down. He's been able to hold some ibuprofen a little longer the second time." Scott nodded again.

"He's sleeping better….." she said. Scott looked around the dimly lit bedroom and pointed up at the poster hanging on the wall.

"'That's My Boy' with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis? Is he really a fan?" Susan adjusted her head on the pillow to study the vintage poster. She smiled and turned back to look at him.

"Luka gave that to us for a Christmas present a long time ago," she said. "After we moved back to Chicago, Cosmo wanted to hang it in here." Scott frowned slightly.

"Chuck Martin and Susan Lewis?" she explained. "I'm surprised Dr. Kovac didn't try to replace the faces with ours." Scott laughed quietly and nodded. She held a finger to her lips and began to ease herself off the bed. Scott stood up as she tucked the blanket around Cosmo and then followed her as she motioned him into the hall. She stooped to pick up her shoes and then gasped as he wrapped his arms around her gently when she stood up.

"I've missed you," he whispered as he nuzzled her ear.

"Yeah," she sighed as she dropped the shoes and tugged at the baseball jersey. "I've missed you too." Scott straightened and studied her face.

"What's the matter?" Susan sighed sadly and looked at him.

"I really did look hot tonight," she said remorsefully. "I did." Scott laughed as he pulled her closer.

"Couldn't have been more beautiful than you are right now," he said.

"Scott…." Susan groaned in protest. He settled his hands lightly on her hips and kissed her. He could feel the tension sliding away.

"Um," Susie interrupted as she reached the top step and halted. "Dinner was….tres magnifique!" Susan's head pulled back and she stared at him.

"You brought us dinner?" she asked. Scott bit his bottom lip and smiled as his eyes danced.

"From…..Everest?" Susan was dismayed as she looked at him. "I didn't know they did carry out."

"I don't think they usually do, Aunt Susan," Susie said as she eased by them in the narrow hall. She stopped to pick up the shoes Susan had dropped and carried them to the bedroom across from Cosmo's. She tossed them inside and then shut the door.

"There are three slices of what looks to be absolutely divine Alsace Kugelhopf with raspberry glaze," Susie turned around and glared at them warningly. "There better be one left for my breakfast tomorrow morning. Just saying….." She opened her bedroom door and stepped inside.

"Now, I am going to be doing some really intense research for my political history class," she said as she pushed her glasses up on her nose. "It should take me all night long…..so I will keep an ear out for puke boy in there…..just in case you might want to get….busy….or something."

"Oh my god…" Susan groaned. "Go to bed." Susie held up a warning finger.

"Breakfast," she warned. Then she grinned and disappeared into her bedroom.

"I really like that kid," Scott chuckled. Susan shook her head and laced the fingers of her right hand with his.

"Most people do," she sighed as she led him down the stairs. "So what did you bring to eat?"

Later they sat with folded legs on the sofa face to face and he was grinning as he watched her savoring the raspberry glaze covered cake. She slipped a bite into his mouth from her fork.

"The halibut was fabulous," she said. "Do you think the chef at Everest would be mad if he knew we warmed it up in the microwave?" Scott shrugged and leaned forward for another bite of the dessert.

"I'm not telling him," he said.

"Me neither," she said as she took the last bite of the cake and set the plate on the coffee table next to them.

"So you haven't brought them up yet," Susan said as she laced her hands in his. "How are the girls?"

"Coming home early tomorrow," he said. "Casey has a project to finish for school. She misses you."

"I know," Susan said. "She's talked to Susie."

"And of course you know that grandma was all over 'poor Molly' because she was all alone when she started her…...you know," Scott kissed her hand. "Grandma's words…not mine." Susan laughed and took a deep breath.

"I promised Casey a Christmas shopping trip before they go to Hawaii," she said as she unfolded her legs and cuddled close to him. "I don't know how we are going to fit it in though, with school and….."

"Don't worry about it," Scott stretched his legs and rested I his stocking feet on the coffee table. He wrapped an arm around her and sighed. "She would be just as happy if we managed a dinner together one night."

"Can you do that?" she asked as she nudged his toes with hers and watched as he nudged back. "My schedule is packed right up to Christmas night."

"We'll work something out," he sighed as they nestled together and he reached up to switch off the light on the table next to him. She giggled and lifted her face to his for a kiss.

"Mommy, I'm thirsty…." came a raspy call from the top of the stairs.

"Susie is upstairs, honey," Susan called back. "Have her give you some of the ginger ale from the bottle on your table."

"But I want you, Mom," Cosmo called plaintively. Scott sighed and switched the light back on.

"Don't move, Aunt Susan," Susie called down. "I've got him. Come on, Cos….."

"I want mommy," Cosmo's weak voice faded away as Susie took him back to his room. Susan looked up at Scott and he sighed. They both chuckled and he kissed her again.

"I'm sorry," she said as she sat up on the couch.

"It's okay," he said. "If I were sick, I'd want you too." Susan grimaced and then laughed.

"I can let myself out," he said. Susan kissed him again and traced a finger across his lips. She stood up and then bent to kiss him quickly again.

"Thanks for dinner," she sighed and then hurried up the stairs.

"I'm on my way, Cosmo," she called. Scott sighed and then straightened to gather up the dishes from their dinner. He carried them to the sink in the kitchen, picked up his keys and slipped the tie around his neck. He shrugged his arms into his dinner jacket and let himself out of the duplex.


	3. On Our Way Home

"_On our way home. G-ma is mad. Casey's fault." _

Scott sighed and set the phone down on the table with a resounding crack. What now? It seemed like they could never just drop the girls off after a visit. There always had to be some….discussion…..about something. Like they had to come in and check on things. He rifled through the file folder of pictures and information Casey had collected for her project on the table in front of him. He straightened the glue sticks and tape and scissors he had gathered together for her. He'd gotten three different poster boards from the store because he wasn't sure which color she'd want. He grinned a little because he kind of knew she was going to go for the neon pink. He just wasn't sure it was the appropriate color for the project she was doing.

Scott straightened and then did a quick tour of the house, picking up the jacket he'd lain over the couch the night before. He stuffed a patient file back into his brief case and was waiting when the car lights swung into the drive and stopped. He opened the front door and waited in the chill air on the steps for them. Casey came bounding up with her back pack swinging from her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, daddy," she said quietly as she kissed his cheek. He hugged his youngest close for a second and then nudged her toward the house.

"Your poster board and things are on the table," he said.

"Thanks!" Casey replied brightly and disappeared inside, the front door slamming behind her. Scott folded his arms and leaned against the brick entry way to watch as Molly made her way up the walk. Her grandmother held the girl close to her side with an arm across her shoulder. Molly looked up at him and grinned weakly. Scott smiled back and took her bag from his mother in law.

"Did you have a good time, Moll?" he asked. The girl nodded her dark head and then turned to kiss her grandmother.

"Thank you, Grandma," she said. Rachel Anderssen hugged the girl close and then looked up at Scott as Molly took her bag from him and went inside.

"Thank you for bringing them back early, Rachel," he said. "Casey has time to get her project done before bed."

"I don't know why you didn't send the project with her this weekend," the slight woman said sharply. "We could have finished it with her." Scott shrugged.

"I suggested it," he said. "But we didn't have all the materials she needed at the time." The woman on the sidewalk below him pursed her lips angrily.

"We need to talk," she said. Scott adjusted his folded arms and shifted his feet.

"Okay," he said and waited.

"Aren't you going to invite me inside?" Rachel asked. Scott shrugged.

"Will the conversation take that long?" Her eyes narrowed and a slight smile curved her lips. He was challenging her.

"Casey doesn't want to go to Hawaii with us for Christmas," she said as she pulled her gloves from her coat pocket. "She is refusing to go, in fact."

"We have spent every Christmas on Maui since her mother was six years old!" She jerked the black gloves onto her hands as she spoke.

"I know that," Scott nodded.

"We have been booked at the same resort in Lahaina since Molly was born." She adjusted the folds of her coat closer round her.

"I know that too," Scott replied evenly.

"We even invited you to go with us last year and you came," she said as she tugged at the hat covering her head.

"Because it was their first Christmas without their mother," he said quietly.

"Now," the older woman threw her hands out angrily. "Its…boring….in Hawaii and she doesn't want to go!" Scott suppressed a sudden smile and shifted his stance on the porch.

"I'll talk to her," he said.

"You shouldn't have taken them to Florida for Thanksgiving," Rachel spit. "You were just competing with our Christmas trip."

"No, I wasn't," he groaned in protest. "They have been wanting to go there for years."

"So you had to pick this year and go with….these friends?" She glared up at him accusingly.

"We didn't even meet them until we got to the resort," he shrugged defensively. "And besides, it's none of your business what I choose to do with them on our vacations. You were the one that established that little fact in court!" Rachel's eyes shifted to the front window and Scott's head swung in time to see the drapes fall back in place. His shoulders sagged in resignation and he turned back to the woman on the sidewalk.

"I said that I would talk to her," he said quietly. "Don't worry. She will go with you." Rachel studied him with a frown on her face for a long moment and then she nodded.

"I would like to say good bye to her," she said firmly. Scott nodded and opened the front door.

"Casey," he called. "Come and say good bye to your grandmother." Casey appeared at the door and looked up at him. He tipped a head toward Rachel. She glanced at her grandmother and then smiled. She jumped down the steps and Rachel folded her into a hug.

"Good bye, Grandma," Casey said as she hugged her.

"I love you, sweetheart," Rachel said as she pressed a kiss to the top of the little girl's head.

"I know," Casey sighed. She reached up to kiss the woman's cheek and then hurried back into the house. Rachel sighed and looked up at the son in law that she had once adored…..and probably still did. He watched as she made her way to the big car in the drive way and started the engine. As the car backed out of the driveway, he looked up at the graying sky and shivered. Snowflakes were falling.

Molly was stretched out on the couch reading a book he recognized from her school things.

"Nice try, Sherlock," he said as he patted her on the head. "You gotta work a bit on your stealth technique though." Molly grinned and didn't lift her eyes from the book in her hands. She crossed her feet and settled more comfortably into the couch cushions. He made his way to the huge formal dining table where Casey was laying pictures and text boxes onto the hot pink poster board.

"How does this look, Dad?" she asked. Scott sat at the table across from her and perused her work.

"Very nice," he nodded. Casey grinned and began adding glue to the back of the pictures and pressing them into place. Scott watched her work.

"So," she asked. "Did you get to see Dr. Lewis this weekend?"

"A little bit," he replied. "Cosmo was sick." Casey's head jerked up in alarm.

"Oh, he's okay," he dad reassured her. "Its just the flu. He probably caught it from one of the kids at school."

"Little kids just don't wash their hands enough," Casey nodded as she went back to work. Scott shrugged in agreement and was silent as he watched her glue again.

"I'm not going to Hawaii, Daddy," she said after a long moment. "She can't make me go."

"Okay," he said flatly. His daughter looked up at him curiously.

"You don't think I should?" she asked as she pressed a picture onto the poster. Scott shrugged.

"I have gone there for Christmas every year since I was born," she sighed. He nodded.

"Yes, you have." He reached out to straighten one of the cut out letters on her poster.

"It's the same old stuff all the time." Casey's nose wrinkled in thought.

"Tradition…" Scott sighed. Casey looked up at him. Scott reached across the table and straightened another letter for her. He finally picked the letter up and handed it to her so she could add glue to the back. Their blue eyes met and he winked at her. Casey smiled and went back to work on her project. Scott studied her for a long moment and wondered what he was going to do.


	4. Hell Yeah!

"_Hell Yeah!"_

Susan grinned as she pushed the send button her phone. How else would he expect her to answer the simple question, "Latte?" She had no idea when or how but she was giddy with excitement. It had been over a week since the night Cosmo had gotten sick and Scott had brought dinner. Seven days….no, nine days since she had seen him. It had been crazy around work and even crazier around home. They usually put their Christmas tree up on Thanksgiving weekend and since they had been out of town, it hadn't gotten done. And Cosmo had been down with the flu for three days and was just beginning to be back to his old self. Susie was in the middle of several big projects for school and wasn't much help. The boxes were sitting in the middle of the living room…..waiting. And it wasn't much better next door. At least Luka had been able to get the lights on the outside of the house up and she had hung a wreath she'd gotten from the hospital auxiliary on the front door.

"What are you thinking about?" Abby asked as she plopped a stack of patient files onto the admit desk.

"Nothing really," Susan sighed and added a notation the open file in front of her. "Just wishing it was a little busier around here so the shift would go faster."

"Uh, bite your tongue!" Abby scolded. "I am finally getting caught up on paperwork."

"Possible otitis media in an infant and she's a screamer," Chuny said as she slid a patient clip board in the rack and added a name to the huge chart behind them. '"Who wants to take it?" Abby groaned.

"I have that going on at home right now," Abby groaned. "Isn't there an intern available somewhere?" Chuny shook her head.

"Its been so quiet that Dr. Miller had them all report to the classroom for an impromptu lecture on best practices or something," Chuny said as she headed back to triage. She stopped in her tracks and looked back at Susan.

"I think you have a visitor," she said as a smile crossed her face. Susan looked toward the elevators and grinned. Scott was headed toward the admit desk with a Starbucks drink carrier in his hand. He wore a heavy jacket over his suit and a huge smile on his face.

"I think he is definitely a keeper," Chuny nodded and shook her head as she headed back to her post.

"What are you doing here?" Susan laughed as he set the carrier on the desk.

"I have a consult upstairs in a few minutes," he said. "I thought you might be able to take a break with me."

"Oh yeah," she nodded and closed the patient file she'd finished.

"I took a guess," he said as he tapped the cups. "Skinny Vanilla Latte?"

"Perfect…" Susan nodded.

"I like lattes…." Abby added weakly. Scott glanced at her as he saw her for the first time.

"Abby!" he laughed. "I didn't know you were working."

"Oh, that's okay," she chuckled. She sighed and took the patient chart from the rack. "I have a screaming infant to attend to anyway."

"You owe me," she glared playfully at Susan. "Big time." Susan nodded and rounded the admit desk.

"Do you want to go to the lounge or the waiting area?' she asked. Scott shrugged as he took off his jacket.

"The lounge then," she said, taking it from him. "I've missed you." He grinned and kissed her lightly on the lips as he grabbed the drink carrier. She slipped an arm around his waist and they headed for the lounge.

"Break's over, Frank," she said as she opened the door and tossed the jacket onto the couch.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," the older man said as he stood up from the couch and threw a sandwich wrapper into the trash.

"Frank?" Scott grinned. "The guy who said to watch the fireworks from the monorail?" Susan nodded as Frank eyed Scott suspiciously.

"Best advice ever, man," he said as he reached for Frank's hand. "My girls are still talking about that night." Frank shook Scott's hand and nodded.

'This is Scott Porter, Frank," Susan said. "From Northwestern? He's here on a consult."

"Oh…." Frank said in feigned surprise. "Dr. Porter….."

"Goodbye, Frank," Susan said warningly as he looked Scott up and down, checking him out. Frank started to say something but changed his mind and left. Susan dropped onto the couch and Scott handed one of the drinks to her.

"Protective, is he?" Scott asked as he sat next to her with his own cup.

"Retired cop," she laughed. "He is probably pulling you up on the internet as we speak." She took a sip of the hot coffee in her hands and sighed happily.

"So good….thank you!" Scott grinned and took a drink of his own.

"Hey, listen…." she said brightly. "My dad is taking Cosmo to pick out a Christmas tree after school today. I'm off at three tomorrow. Do you want to bring the girls over for dinner? They can help with the decorating."

"They would probably love that," he said. "They've never done it." Susan looked at him incredulously.

"Never?" she said with a frown. "They've never decorated a Christmas tree?"

"They've always spent Christmas in Hawaii," he shrugged. "It never made much sense when we would be traveling and the hotel always has a huge one in the lobby."

"What about when you were little?" She took another sip and looked at him, waiting. Scott was lost in thought.

"We always cut our tree from a grove on my grandparent's farm," he said with a faint smile. "Tied it to the top of the car and my mom would decorate it when I was at school. I would come home and the entire house would be transformed. Always gorgeous and kind of…..magical….you know?" He looked at her and Susan smiled. Her eyes closed as he kissed the tip of her nose. He smelled so good. A good mix of vanilla and coffee and cologne.

"What about you?" he asked. Susan's eyes widened a bit and she shifted in her seat.

"Well, Cookie may have had some issues with parenting but she always managed to do Christmas right," she chuckled.

"You called your mother…..'Cookie?'" he laughed.

"She wasn't the sort who enjoyed having her children grow up into teenagers," she said with a rueful grin. "Her request." She drained the cup and set it on the table next to her and turned to him.

"So when can you come?" Scott closed his eyes and groaned.

"I forgot," he said. "I lecture tomorrow night. I won't be able to be home till seven….maybe even eight." Susan's face fell and then she shook her head.

"This is never going to work out for us," she chuckled.

"If you wouldn't mind, you could pick them up from school," he said.

"Me?" she blinked. "Really? Would they allow that?" Scott's pager buzzed and he pulled it out of his pocket.

"They're ready for me upstairs," he said. "I'll come back down before I leave and we'll talk about it again." They stood up and he kissed her before tossing his coat over his shoulder and heading toward the door. Susan dropped the coffee cups into the garbage can and followed him. He waved as he stepped onto the elevator and she smiled. She glanced around and noticed that they were watching her. Frank at the admit desk. Chuny at the bathroom door. Abby just across the hall. Inez at the other end.

"What?" she said sharply as she shrugged and headed back to the desk. Abby and Chuny laughed and went back to work.


	5. Got Them

"_Got them. On our way to the house."_

Lights lined the edges of the front porch and drooped down into the evergreen garland across the porch rails of the duplex. The house looked friendly and cheery from the outside even if it was just dusk. He was early. She wouldn't be expecting him. He usually enjoyed his weekly lecture sessions but he hadn't been able to concentrate this time. Not that anyone had complained when - an hour into the lecture - he'd suddenly snapped off his equipment and sent them all back to their homes. An early holiday gift. Snow was falling and traffic had been slow but he was still several hours early. Scott climbed up the snowy steps and stamped the slush from his feet. Before he could even knock there was a bark and the door flew open.

"Daddy!" Casey cried as she threw herself into his arms. "This is the greatest house ever! Down Fudge!" The small chocolate lab sniffed him and then bounded away. He disappeared down the basement stairs. Casey pulled her dad inside by the arm and jabbered away as he removed his coat.

"You can go down the stairs to the basement," she explained. "There's the laundry room and a playroom and when you go up the other stair case, you are in Lauren's house. Its kinda like magic!" She took his coat and struggled to hang it up in the crowded coat closet. Scott reached to help her and then closed the door.

"Where is everyone?" he asked as he looked around the living room. A six foot tall fir tree crowded the corner of the room and filled it with a fresh, clean scent. There was a huge plastic crate on the table in front of the couch that looked like it was filled with ornaments for the tree. School bags filled the recliner by the television. The place was so different from his own perfectly decorated and housekeeper spotless living room. It was small but comfortable and homey. What was it his mother used to say? It had heart.

"Casey…." a little voice called from the basement stairs. Casey swung around, her braid loose and the white blouse of her school uniform pulled free from the plaid skirt and sweater she wore.

"I'll be right there," she called. Scott grinned as a face peeked around the door and the little girl grinned up at him. He knelt down and Lauren danced into his hug. There was a red ribbon straggling from her dark ponytail.

'We're playing hide and seek," Casey explained as she took the little girl's hand.

"We can't find Cosmo no wheres," Lauren's brown eyes were wide as Casey tugged her back toward the basement door.

"He's down there somewhere," Casey rolled her eyes as she looked at her dad and sighed. "We'll find him!" Scott chuckled as the two girls disappeared through the open door. He looked up as Susan came down the stairs next to him.

"Hi!" she laughed. "I wasn't expecting you for a couple of hours yet." Scott grinned hugged her close for a moment and then kissed her.

'Didn't take as long as I thought it would," he said.

"You let all those poor med students go early, didn't you?" she laughed as she studied his face. Scott nodded.

"I used to love professors like you…." she sighed as she took his hand and pulled him toward the kitchen. "Are you hungry?" She didn't wait for him to respond but leaned into the open stairwell.

"Okay guys," she called down. "Half an hour till we do the tree so start cleaning up down there."

"Okay!" he heard Casey respond. Susan smiled and closed the door.

"It's worth a try," she sighed. She pulled him into the kitchen and filled a bowl with meaty broth from a large crock pot.

"That smells great," he said as he took the bowl to the small table nearby. Susan grinned and cut a thick slice of bread from a loaf on the counter for him. She filled two glasses from a pitcher of red liquid and carried them to the table.

"How is it, Dr. Porter," she asked, "that your girls have never partaken of the delights of cherry Kool Aid?" Scott laughed and shrugged as he took a sip of his vegetable soup.

"We've kind of kept an eye on that red food dye 40," he laughed.

"In that case, they'll probably be bouncing off the walls tonight," she said with a grin. "They're having a good time slumming." Scott grimaced in distain at her comment.

"Molly too?" he asked.

"She's upstairs finishing her homework with Susie," Susan said. "I just went up to see how much more they had to do. They are almost done." He looked up as there was a shriek from downstairs. Susan rolled her eyes and opened the basement door.

"Pipe down," she called. "I thought you were picking things up?"

"We are," came a reply from three voices. Susan shook her head and left the door open this time. He ate and watched and listened as she busied herself filling a pot with a gallon of milk and setting it to warm on the stove. She was talking about spelling words and traffic and how busy the ER had been….a severe contrast from the day before. There was a clattering on the stairs and the dog came up with his tail wagging. He sat in front of Scott, waiting.

"Don't you dare feed him," Susan warned and turned back to the cocoa she was making. Scott nodded and slipped a piece of bread crust to the dog. Susan glanced at him warningly.

"I saw that…" she warned. He grinned and she crossed the kitchen and opened the back door.

"Come on, Fudge," she called and the dog wagged his tail and didn't move from his spot in front of Scott.

"Outside," Susan ordered and the dog whined and then headed out into the snow. She sighed and shut the door.

"Are you ready for this?" she asked. Scott nodded and stood up to carry his bowl to the sink. She grinned and led him into the living room.

"We get to do the lights," she said and picked up the tangled string of multi-colored bulbs from the couch.

"We can do that, Aunt Susan," Susie said as she hurried down the staircase with Molly behind her.

"Hi, Dad!" the younger girl grinned and threw her arms around him. "I thought you were picking us up later! We don't have to go now, do we? We haven't even started."

"No, we'll stay," Scott said as he kissed the top of her head and then let her go. She sat on the floor with Susie and went to work untangling the lights. Scott looked at Susan.

"So what do we do now?" he chuckled. Susan took his hand and led him to the couch.

"This…" she said as she pushed him down and then sat next to him, "Is where we get to sit and watch it all happen." He nodded and slipped his arm behind her. Susan nestled into him and then straightened and looked back as the younger children clattered up the staircase from the basement.

"Hey, they found you!" she laughed as Cosmo climbed over the back of the couch into her lap. "Hiding in that really, really small cupboard between the washer and dryer again?" Cosmo nodded and then wiggled out of her embrace to open the plastic crate on the coffee table.

"He scared Abby to death one day when he was hiding in that cupboard," Susan laughed as she watched him dig carefully through the box of ornaments with Casey and Lauren.

"I put dis en on," Lauren called as she waved a plastic snowman over her head and hurried to the tree.

"Not yet!" Susie scolded as she showed Molly how to tuck the strings of lights way back in the branches. Molly sneezed and then ollowed the older girl's lead. She glanced back at Scott and he winked. Molly grinned.

"Where did these come from, Dr. Lewis," Casey asked curiously as she sat on the edge of the coffee table in front of her with a small box in her hands. Susan leaned forward and lifted the intricately folded German star from the box by its hook.

"My Grandma used to make these for our tree," she said. "I think this is the last one that I have and its very old. " She carefully pulled out a small plaster star and turned it over so Casey could see the name on the back.

"It says your name," the little girl cocked her head curiously.

"I made that in second grade," Susan nodded. She held up the third star from the box. "And this one is a star that I made with Cosmo's hand print for his first Christmas." Casey took them and held them gently in her hands.

"And you kept them all of these years?'" Casey asked. She smiled when Susan nodded.

"I'll be very careful with them," she nodded before carrying them to the tree. Susan smiled and sat back against the couch again. Scott pressed a kiss to her forehead and they watched as the kids added one decoration after another to the tree.

"Hey Cos!" Susie lifted a battered shoe box from the bottom of the crate and held it up. A smile spread across Cosmo's freckled face and he took the box from her. He climbed onto the couch next to his mother set it on Susan's knees. He lifted off the top.

"Star Wars!" he grinned. Cosmo peered around Susan and grinned at Scott.

"These belonged to my dad and now they're mine," he said as he scratched his head. Scott sat up and studied the ornaments as Cosmo lifted them carefully from the box.

"Luke Skywalker. Han Solo. Chewy. C3PO and R2D2. Darth Vader….." the little boy's forehead puckered as he held up a small brown figure.

"Jawas….and those little guys…" Scott pointed to another figure in the box, "are ewoks." Cosmo looked up at Susan and his smile widened. Scott frowned.

"But I don't see Obie Wan Kenobi in here," he said.

"We could never find that one," Susan sighed. "Its kind of rare, I think." She handed the box to Cosmo and nodded toward the tree. "Be careful with them." Cosmo nodded and was smiling as he carried the collectable ornaments to the tree. They both looked up as there was a knock on the door and it opened. Luka stamped his feet off and carried Declan inside.

"Tata!' Lauren cried as she climbed over a pile of boxes to reach him. "We arw decowating da Chwistmas twee!"

"I can see that," Luka picked her up and kissed her cheek. Lauren wriggled until he put her back down so she could get another ornament from a box. Susan reached up and Luka handed Declan to her. Luka shook hands with Scott.

"Abby is going to be so pissed at me," Luka said ruefully as he unzipped his jacket. "I forgot that I was supposed to get a tree from the lot on the way home tonight."

"There's soup in the crock pot if you're hungry," Susan said as she made a face at Declan and took the knit hat off his head.

"I am," Luka nodded and headed for the kitchen. "Thanks." Susan kissed the baby's cold rosy cheeks and loosened the zipper on his snowsuit. She turned him around in her lap so he could watch the activity at the tree. Scott's eyes were on Molly and then Casey as they helped hang ornaments and tuck decorations on the branches. Cosmo was chattering away about the box he held and directing Molly as she hung one of the ewoks from a branch. Susan was talking quietly to the baby in her lap as he stuck a finger in his mouth and watched the activity at the tree with wide eyes. She pressed a kiss to Declan's soft hair. Suddenly a large bundle of dark brown fur made a flying leap around the couch and skidded into the almost empty crate on the coffee table. Susan squealed as her arms tightened around the baby in her lap and Scott jumped, grabbing onto the dog's thick collar.

"Fudge, no!" Susan cried. Scott loosened his tie and looped it through the dog's collar reining him tightly to his side.

"I've got him," Scott said. He looked over at her and Susan sighed. They looked around them at the mess of open boxes and papers and busy kids, a baby and a frantically panting dog. Their eyes met and they burst out laughing.


	6. Save Me A Seat

"_Save me a seat. On my way."_

Susan snapped her phone shut after sending the message and slipped it into her pocket. She held up her arm and was relieved when a cab came to a stop immediately in front of her.

"Morgan Park Academy, please," she said as she slid into the back seat. "It's on west 111th." The cab driver nodded and flipped the meter at his side. She settled in the smooth leather seat of the cab took a deep breath. It was a twenty minute ride from the hospital to the school. Twenty minutes to compose herself and settle. Scott told her wasn't a big deal and not to worry if she couldn't come. But she had promised that she would try. And it was important to keep a promise. Besides, she was tired of fighting with patients and interns and techs. She needed a little holiday cheer tonight.

Families were still filing their way into the school when the cab pulled to a stop in front. She paid the cabbie and then followed the crowd to the auditorium. Scott was standing at a seat near the aisle watching for her. He grinned when she waved and made her way down the carpeted aisle to his side.

"I'm glad you could make it," he said as he kissed her cheek and eased over so she could sit down.

"Abby came in a little early to cover for me," she said as she set her bag on the floor. He sat down and laced his fingers through hers.

"Don't look now but someone is checking you out." Scott nodded slightly toward an elderly couple sitting across the room from them. Susan glanced over quickly and suppressed a grin as she turned her head elswhere.

"What have you been saying to them about me?" she muttered as she studied the heavy velvet curtains that were closed across the stage.

"Absolutely nothing from me," he muttered back. Scott reached up and slapped his cheek.

"Ouch!" he whispered as he leaned toward her. "An icy barb meant for you hit me instead." Susan's shoulders shook with suppressed laughter.

"Behave yourself," she whispered and he chortled softly.

"Damn," he whispered as he wiped his brow. "Caught another one." Susan bit her tongue to keep from laughing and sighed heavily as she glanced around the big auditorium. She could see that they were still watching her. Checking her out. They were very well dressed yet somewhat sad looking. Or snooty.

"This is a beautiful school," she said. "We usually get to sit on folding chairs in the gymnasium for programs."

"It's a former military school," Scott explained as looked around them.

"Really?" She cocked her head in surprise. Scott nodded. The lights came down slowly and the curtain began to open. The stage was full of fidgety little preschoolers and Kindergarteners with reindeer antlers on their heads. She smiled, squeezed her fingers in his and settled back in her seat. This was going to be good.

And it was. Casey saw them from the stage and did not stop smiling when she wasn't playing her flute for the beginning band performance. Molly was on the other side of the stage for her chorus pieces and didn't see Susan till the end of the program. But it was a quick hello and they were off with their friends.

"Gads," Susan whispered to Scott after it was over as she surveyed the table filled with baked goods and punch. "Even your snacks are better here. But don't tell Luka. He'll switch Lauren for Kindergarten." Scott chuckled and tucked a mini cupcake into her mouth.

"Scott," Rachel interrupted them. "I think we need to leave now. I want the girls to get some sleep before we have to be at the airport. Their bags are already in the car. We picked them up before coming here."

"I know you did," he sighed. "My housekeeper called me." Rachel's perfectly plucked eyebrows went up in surprise.

"Well, she is…my….housekeeper," he said with a shake of his head. He looked around the gymnasium for the girls and gestured to Molly. She grabbed Casey's hand and tugged her toward Scott.

"Grandma and Grandpa need to go now," he said. "Let's get your things together so you can go with them. Your flight is leaving really early in the morning." Molly nodded and tugged Casey behind her as they headed for their lockers. The little girl was looking at him with a confused expression. Susan looked from Casey to Scott with a frown.

"Oh, Scott," she said quietly. "You didn't tell her?"

"I did," he said firmly. "But she wouldn't listen. She was constantly arguing with me." Susan looked around the gymnasium with all the parents and children milling about.

"Well, you can't do this here," she said firmly. Scott was silent as he stood with his in laws watching as Susan found a staff member and followed the young woman to the hall. She gestured for them to follow them and the teacher unlocked a classroom door. Susan held the door and waited for the three of them to file inside.

"I'll get the girls," she said and left them alone.

It didn't take long for the girls to make their way back to the big room with their coats. Susan wrapped an arm around them and led them to the quiet classroom in the hall. Casey hung back as she saw her father sitting on one of the desks on one side of the room and her grandparents standing by the window on the other.

"I'm not going to go," she said stubbornly as she hung back. Susan tugged her forward, closing the door behind them and Molly crossed the room to her grandfather. Casey looked up at Susan with tear laden blue eyes.

"I don't want to go," she said as her lip trembled. Susan nodded and pushed her gently toward her father. Scott stood up and waited as Casey moved closer to him. Susan folded her arms and watched them.

"I don't want to go, Daddy," Casey sobbed and wrapped her arms around her father's waist.

"I know, honey," he said as he pulled her arms away and knelt down in front of her. "There's nothing I can do about it right now. You're going to be with Grandma and Grandpa and Molly. You'll have a great time. You know you will." Casey took deep, shattering breath and looked at Susan. She moved toward her and Susan wrapped her arms around her.

"Don't make me go," the little girl sobbed as she clung to her.

"Casey," Susan rocked her carefully as they stood close together. "What is the problem here? Why don't you want to go? You've been going to Hawaii to spend Christmas forever. You told me that."

"This is ridiculous," Rachel said sharply and reached for the little girl. Scott put out a hand to stop her.

"Let her talk to Susan," he said warningly. "Just let her talk." Rachel straightened and stood back. She looked up at her husband who had an arm wrapped around Molly. He looked away from her and straightened his shoulders as they waited.

Susan hugged Casey again and then pulled her away so she could look at the little girl's face. Casey's eyes were squeezed shut and huge tears ran down her cheeks. Susan pulled a tissue from her pocket and wiped away the tears. She handed the tissue to Casey so she could blow her nose. Casey stuffed the tissue into her pocket of her jacket and looked up at Susan. Susan took her hand and pulled out one of the student chairs from the desk and sat down.

'Now, why don't you want to go?" she asked. Casey's eyes filled with tears again.

"I don't want to leave Daddy all alone," she choked as she looked back at him. "If I go, there won't be any one to spend Christmas with him."

"Oh, sweetheart," Susan said as she turned the little girl back to her. "Your daddy will be working because he was off on Thanksgiving. You know that. And I promise you that he can come to my house if he gets lonely. Or, here's an idea…" Casey looked at her sadly.

"What if I send Fudge to stay with him while you're gone?" Susan suggested brightly. Casey immediately grinned through her tears.

"There's a lot of room for him to run around," she giggled. They both looked up at Scott and he was glowering in dismay. He held up his hands and then glanced at Molly. She was grinning.

"Okay..…" he sighed in resignation and dropped his hands to his side. "I'll take the dog." Casey laughed and threw her arms around him again. Scott melted and hugged her close.

"I love you, baby," he sighed and then lifted her face so he could kiss both tear stained cheeks. Susan stood up and sighed as Casey moved into her arms again.

"Have a wonderful time and use your sunscreen….a lot. Promise?" Casey nodded her head as she hugged Susan and then took her grandmother's hand. Rachel nodded wordlessly toward them and left the classroom with Casey.

"She'll be okay, Dad," Molly reassured him. "Once she gets there." Scott nodded and hugged his oldest daughter close. He kissed the top of her head.

"Keep in touch, Moll," he said. "Call whenever you can."

"I will," she smiled and waved a hand at Susan as she went to the door and waited for her grandfather. Stephen reached out to shake Scott's hand. He glanced toward Susan and cleared his throat.

"Thank you," he said quietly. Susan nodded and watched them leave the room. She put her hands on her hips.

"Well, that totally sucked," she said firmly. She turned to look at him and gasped.

"I forgot," she said. "This is your first holiday without them, isn't it?" Scott nodded and reached for her. Susan slipped into his arms and clung tightly. He was shaking. She could feel it. They stood together in the empty classroom for a long time.


	7. Everything is Fine

"_Everything is fine. Stay."_

Of course everything was fine. Susie was in charge and Luka was right next door if she needed anything. But she wouldn't. Susan put the phone into her purse and watched out the window as Scott guided the car through the quiet streets. Christmas lights were everywhere. Cheery, bright lights. They were quiet, listening to the music from his radio as he made his way into one of the upscale gated neighborhoods. As he pulled into his driveway and stopped the car, she studied the big house and then looked at him.

"When I said that they were enjoying themselves slumming at my house, I thought I was kidding," she said in awe.

"They weren't slumming at your house," he argued with a laugh. She shook her head and opened the car door. She stepped out and shut the door. He held her elbow as they made their way up the stone sidewalk to the front steps and porch. He opened the door with his key, held the door open for her and then punched in a code at the alarm box next to the door. He took her coat and hung it in the ample coat closet and then hung his beside it. Susan looked around the entry way to the house and then into the immaculate living room. The furniture was a French provincial style and upholstered in a light blue floral pattern. The glass coffee table in the center of the room held a small bouquet of blue silk flowers and there was not a fingerprint or a knick knack in sight. She turned her head toward the formal dining room and it's large wooden table. There was another silk flower arrangement there. Everything was in its place. Everything was beautiful.

"Do people actually live here?" she asked in wonderment.

"Yes," he chuckled. "We live here." He watched her as she meandered through the living room and then peeked into the door of his narrow office. She turned to look at him and smiled.

"Now this,' she chuckled, "I like." He nodded with a smile and tossed his suit jacket onto the couch and followed her into the second room. The walls were a dark wheat color. A desk stood in front of two huge windows at one end and there was a leather couch in front of a cornerstone fireplace at the other. Book cases lined the wall behind her and there were silver picture frames here and there on the shelves. She stopped to take one in her hands and studied the picture it held. A woman with short dark hair was laughing as she sat in the sand in a bikini and held a chubby little toddler between her knees. She had her arm around a dark haired little girl at her side. Molly was wearing only her bathing suit bottoms and had a finger in her mouth as she smiled shyly for the camera.

"Christmas in Hawaii," Scott said softly. Susan looked up at him and smiled. She put the frame back on the shelf.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Starving," Susan sighed. He nodded toward the open doorway.

"The kitchen is that way," he said. "I'm going to get a fire going." She nodded and he watched her flip on the lights in the dining room before making his way to the fireplace. He always kept logs ready, especially in the winter time. He took a box of long matches from the mantle and knelt down as he removed a match, lit it and held it to the twigs and fire starter block.

"Oh my god," Susan exclaimed from the other room. "Its like a complete deli in your refrigerator!" Scott grinned and loosened the plaid tie from around his neck and then tossed it toward the small table next to the couch. He unbuttoned the top button of the navy shirt he wore and rolled the sleeves up as he watched the flames take hold of the dry logs on the hearth. He stood up and then settled himself into the corner of the dark leather couch. He watched the flames lick around the wood in the fireplace and then looked up as she came back into the den with her arms laden. He took the sleeve of crackers and bottles of apple juice from her hands and set them on the couch before reaching for a small rattan box near. He pulled it in front of him, took the plate of cheese, deli meat squares and grapes that she handed him and set it on the impromptu table. She sat on the couch and then closed her eyes happily as she shifted herself into the warm, buttery smooth leather corner and sighed. Her hand reached out to caress the tufted back of the couch and she opened her eyes again.

"Whatever this set you back its worth every single solitary penny," she said. Scott grinned and opened the crackers. He stacked one of the rounds with a slice of cheese and meat and handed it to her. Susan took a bite and studied the fire.

"So how long were you married to her?" she asked. Scott busied himself stacking a cracker for himself.

"Fifteen years," he said as he settled back in his seat. Susan's eyes widened. "How about you?"

"Wow…." she said with a laugh. "Not that long."

"We met when I was an intern," he went on as he opened a bottle of juice. "Got married and she had Molly four years later." He took a drink from his juice and set it on the table next to him. "And then after Casey was born, apparently she found someone else." Susan's face saddened as she watched him talk.

"I found out about it a couple of years ago and suggested that we go to counseling but she filed for divorce instead," he went on as he stacked another cracker for himself. "Before we got much farther along in the process, she went for a girls' night out with friends, had too much to drink, got in the car and well….you know the rest." He took another drink of juice and looked at her.

"What about you?" She shook her head slightly as he opened the second bottle of juice and handed it to her. She took it slowly and held it in both hands for a moment

."Luka said you met your husband when you were on vacation," he said. She grinned.

"Yes," she with a laugh and took a drink. "Just your average drunken weekend in Vegas." She slipped her shoes off and pulled her feet up to the couch in front of her.

"We came back married and had every intention of having it annulled." She took another drink and then reached for a grape from the bowl. "We even signed the papers."

"But you didn't go through with it?" he asked. She shook her head.

"Chuck was like my own personal living teddy bear," she chuckled. "Sweet, lovable….stubborn." Her eyes narrowed for a second and then she grinned.

"He worshipped the air that Cosmo breathed and the ground he walked on," she sighed. "And Susie had him wrapped around her little finger the moment she stepped out of the car with this crazy rainbow dye job when she was twelve." She laughed again and Scott grinned. He watched her face out of the corner of his eye.

"How did you lose him?" he asked. She took a deep breath and took the cracker stack he handed her.

"Pancreatic cancer," she said flatly. "We discovered it in October and he was gone by March." She was thoughtful again and then she smiled.

"I am not sure we would have made it to fifteen years though," she smiled ruefully. "And it was a hell of a way for my son to spend his year in Kindergarten."

"Tell me about it," Scott shook his head. "I lost a lot of friends and social life when I suddenly needed to focus on homework and pony tails and play dates and finding the right black tights for band concerts." Susan threw her head back and laughed. She stretched her legs out on the couch and nudged his leg with her toes.

"Ah, but it's a different kind of social life," she teased. "Surely you ran into one or two of us single moms at the playground that that would have interested you?" Scott reached down and wrapped his fingers around her sock covered toes and squeezed them gently.

"Not till I heard one laugh at a medical convention symposium," he said quietly. Susan's smile faded and then she smiled again as their eyes met. She sat still as he began to knead her feet.

"How did you manage to get us on the same plane on the same trip to Florida?" she teased again.

"That was pure dumb luck…" he grinned and looked up at her.

"Abby said it was fate," Susan nodded. Scott reached for his apple juice and held it up.

"Here's to Abby," he said. "And here's to…fate." Susan lifted her bottle of juice to his and they clicked them together. Scott drained his bottle and set it on the table next to him. He continued to knead her toes in his hand and stared thoughtfully into the fire. Susan watched him for a long moment and then set her bottle down on the table with the now empty plate. She slipped her feet to the floor again and eased herself closer to him.

"They're going to be fine, Scott," she said softly as she touched his chin gently and turned his face to hers. "So are you." His blue eyes searched her face and she smiled encouragingly. She reached up to brush the graying blonde hair from his forehead and cupped her hand on his cheek. He reached up and slipped his fingers into her hair and then rested his hand in the crook of her neck. He pulled her forward gently and their lips met. Susan closed her eyes and nestled closer as he wrapped an arm around her and their kiss deepened.


	8. Home From the Zoo

"_Home from the zoo. Picked up some dinner.." _

"The zoo?" Susan looked at Abby in shock as she read the text message on her phone. "He took them to the zoo? Two days before Christmas?" Abby shrugged as she steered the car through the slushy roads and turned on a side street.

"They probably wore their snow suits," she said confidently and then frowned. "Didn't they?" Susan shrugged at the thought of them not wearing them. Scott would remember something like that. Wouldn't he? He was a dad after all. And a doctor. She glanced back at the car seat behind Abby and smiled at a sleeping Declan. He had spent his day at the hospital daycare but Cosmo and Lauren went to the zoo. With Scott. In the snow. She shook her head again. What had he been thinking?

Cosmo and Lauren were at the big table that filled one end of her living room busy with crayons and markers and paper when Susan opened the door.

"Hi Mom," they both said as they looked up and then went back to work.

"Hi Moms," Scott called as he appeared at the kitchen door. He braced his hands above his head on the door frame and winked at her. He looked relaxed and comfortable in jeans and flannel shirt. And totally at home. Susan dropped her bag onto the chair by the door and made her way curiously to the dining table. Abby carried Declan inside and closed the door behind them.

"What are you two doing?" Susan asked as she scooched Cosmo over in the chair and then pulled him onto her lap.

"Dr. Porter said we should make a book about what we did today," Cosmo laughed as Susan nuzzled the back of his neck. "Stop it, Mom." Susan straightened and surveyed his pictures.

"You went to the….zoo?" She looked up at Scott curiously. "Wasn't it a little cold?"

"We were dressed for it," Scott nodded. "It was Molly's idea actually. We've gone a couple of times when it's colder. The animals are more active and Lincoln Park has an awesome light exhibit this time of year."

"What animal is this?" Abby asked as she shifted Declan to her hip and picked up Lauren's paper.

"Snow monkeys!" Lauren clapped her hands and jumped to her feet in her chair. "Dey was swimming inna hot tub!"

"Hey, Lauren," Scott said as he moved closer to keep her from falling off the chair. "Show your mom what a pygmy loris looks like."

"A pygmy SLOW lowis," she corrected him as she turned around in the chair to look at him.

"Okay," Scott agreed. "A pygmy slow loris. Go on, show her."

"Watch this, Mom," Cosmo whispered. "It's hilarious." Susan suppressed a smile and watched Lauren. The little girl turned to her mother and tucked her hands into the front of her overalls. She pursed her pink lips into a tight bow and then widened her brown eyes as big as they would go. Cosmos clapped his hand to his forehead and giggled as he shook his head. Susan chuckled and Abby laughed.

"And that is exactly how they look," Scott proclaimed seriously. He swung the little girl off her feet and tucked her back on her bottom in the chair. She continued to stare at Cosmo with the loris face.

"They come from the rainforest," he said as he giggled again and went back to coloring.

"They has five fingews so dey can climb slooooowly," Lauren drawled as she moved her arms in a slow climbing motion. Abby smiled and shook her head and then jostled Cosmo in her arms.

"Sounds like Luka is rubbing off on you with the educational field trips," she chuckled. "I need to take this guy home and make a diaper adjustment."

"I picked up some Thai," Scott said as she headed for the door with the baby. "There's plenty for all of us."

"Thanks," Abby waved as she opened the door. "We'll be back." Susan followed Scott into the kitchen where several bags stood on the counter.

"Thank you for taking them today and giving Susie a break," she said as he went through her cupboards looking for plates.

"It was fun," he said. "Besides, I owe her a few from Florida."

"Scott," she groaned as she moved toward him. "You slipped her a bill every time she took them with her." Scott shrugged with a smile as she slid an arm around him. He stopped his search and hugged her.

"I met Brett by the way," he said as they stood together for a moment. Susan pulled her head back and looked at him.

"You did…not….give him the third degree, did you?" He shrugged and she shook her head.

"Poor kid," she said as she pulled away and leaned back against the counter. "First Luka and my Dad and now you?"

"He actually did okay," Scott nodded as he found the plates and set them on the counter next to the bags. "Until I asked him how he planned to support her after college." Susan rolled her eyes and groaned as he snickered.

"Then he fumbled and stammered and totally lost it," he chuckled. Susan laughed softly and watched him work. He was so peaceful…..and happy. He looked over at her and grinned. Something tightened in her throat and her chest clenched. She smiled back.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you this," Scott said as he scooped a serving of the Thai dish onto their plates. "Guess who got stung by a jellyfish?" Susan straightened and folded her arms.

"Not one of the girls, I hope," she said as she sorted through the packages. "How did you know what to buy?"

"They told me," he nodded toward the kitchen door. "They didn't know any names but they managed to tell me what they remembered that they liked to taste. Smart kids." Susan nodded as she opened another box for him.

"Anyway, Casey was all excited because they got to order dinner from room service last night," he continued as he looked inside the container to make sure it was empty before he tossed it into the garbage. "Apparently Grandma got stung on the ankle and calf on their one and only trip to the beach."

"Ouch. Tell me that you're not happy about that," Susan grimaced as she moved to the counter near him.

"Oh, of course not,' Scott said immediately as he busied himself with the rest of the takeout boxes. "That's a very painful injury. I wouldn't wish it on anyone." Susan reached for a piece of pineapple from the plate and slipped it into her mouth as she studied his face. He was very serious as he concentrated on getting the food out and then a slow smile snaked across his face. Susan groaned and punched him playfully on the shoulder. Scott snickered and leaned over to kiss her.

"I should make you pay for that," he whispered against her lips.

"You can just try anytime," she replied. Scott laughed and sighed. This was good. It was all so good.


	9. The Coast is Clear

"_The coast is clear. He is finally asleep." _

She took a sip of the peppermint mocha latte he had gotten for her and watched out the window as he drove through the quiet streets.

"You know," she said . "Your manner of hitting on me is doing nothing for my…um….curves." Scott grinned.

"I love your…um….curves," he mimicked. Susan rolled her eyes.

"Says he with the reed thin, hard as a rock body," she mused. "How do you do that anyway?" He laughed. She took another sip and smiled as they passed a house covered in lights with a party going on inside. Christmas eve.

"Are you sure its going to be okay if I stay the night?" he asked.

"You are the one that insisted on getting him the wii," she moaned. "You are damn well going to be the one to figure out how to hook it up." Scott laughed and pulled the car into her drive way at the duplex. They shut the car doors quietly and then he opened the trunk. She piled a stack of wrapped presents in his arms and quietly closed the trunk. She took some of the packages from him and they made their way up the cleared sidewalk to the porch. Luka came out his front door and locked it behind him.

"Quiet night?" he asked. Susan nodded as she unlocked her front door.

"The worst was that I had to send a three year old up to pedes with ketosis. Merry Christmas, huh? Dr. Franklin was there early…as usual," she said. "And keep an eye on that med student….Simpson. Total slacker with patient protocols tonight." Luka waved and headed for his car.

"Merry Christmas!' Luka waved again and started the car. Susan watched him leave and followed Scott into the house. The only light came from the softly twinkling tree. Her dad was sound asleep under a quilt in the recliner. Scott had already put his packages under the tree and took hers to put there as well. Susan slipped out of her jacket and opened the closet door quietly. She hung her coat up and then reached deep inside to a corner and carefully lifted out three filled Christmas stockings. Scott took them from her and she pointed toward the tree. He carried them over and set them on the floor under the tree. He surveyed the tree with satisfaction and turned as she took his jacket off him. He grinned and leaned to kiss her.

"What was that for?" she laughed quietly.

"Its Christmas…." he grinned. He checked to see if Henry was still sleeping and then wrapped his arms around her for another kiss. She suddenly backed away and pulled the vibrating cell phone from her pocket. She leaned back and looked at the number and then frowned at him. Scott loosened his hold and she turned away as she lifted the phone to her ear.

"Chloe?" she said. "I know but its almost midnight here. I know that its earlier in California. It's okay. Chloe? Chloe! Are you there? Okay. Yes. We will have a merry Christmas. You too. Are you okay? Chloe?" Susan pulled the phone away and checked the number again. She pushed the redial button and put the phone to her ear and waited. There was no answer.

"Damn," Susan said quietly as she looked worriedly at Scott. "She's not answering."

"Was that my mom?" Susan turned to see Susie standing on the landing with two heavily laden stockings in her arms. Her hair lay across her shoulder in a braid and she wore an old tee shirt of Chuck's over her sweat pants. Susie didn't wait for a response and stepped down the last four stairs and moved to the tree.

"She's drinking and maybe using again, isn't she?' she asked as she tucked the stockings next to the three Scott had placed. Susan looked at him and sighed sadly.

"She might be," she sighed. Susie straightened and turned to Susan.

"She called here earlier and talked to Grandpa and I," she said quietly. 'She thought it was Christmas already."

"I'm sorry, honey," Susan whispered and pulled the girl into her arms for a hug.

"Its okay," Susie said as she hugged her back. "I kind of thought something was happening when I was in California last summer."

"Why didn't you tell me?' Susan whispered sharply as she held Susie back to look at her face. The girl shrugged.

"My mom makes her own decisions, Aunt Susan," she said. "She has to deal with the consequences, not us." Susan hugged her tightly again and kissed her cheek.

"I love you," she said firmly. Susie nodded and then smiled up at Scott.

"Good night," she whispered brightly. "I'd get some sleep if I were you. The munchkin has a tendency to be up before the crack of dawn on Christmas." They watched as she made her way around the couch and disappeared up the stairs.

"Her mom is an addict?" Scott asked quietly. Susan nodded. Scott studied her face.

"I hate this…." Susan sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair. "She's got graduation coming up this spring and….." Susan's hands dropped to her sides and she shook her head.

"Damn it, Chloe!" Scott studied her for a long moment and then drew her into his arms. Susan melted against him as he held her close.

"Is that how you ended up with Susie?" Susan nodded against his chest.

"I had her for a while when she was a baby," she said. "I even filed to officially adopt her after Chloe just disappeared. Then her mother showed up with Joe in tow and the court gave her back to them."

"God, that was rough." She sighed heavily and pulled away from his embrace to wipe her eyes. She looked at him and smiled a little. She sighed again.

"Its Christmas," she said weakly. "You don't need to hear all this now." She reached for his hand and he didn't move.

"It can destroy a family, you know," he whispered softly. "It did mine. You're lucky." Susan stopped short and her eyes searched his face in the light from the twinkling tree lights. Scott shrugged.

"My older brother," he said. "He managed to kill himself finally with cocaine and my parents died quickly after that because of it. Their life insurance and sale of the house put me a good way through medical school though." Tears flooded Susan's eyes.

"Lord, we are a pair, aren't we?" she sighed with a soft laugh.

"A good pair," he responded and moved toward her. "Survivors." His arms tightened around her and they still together for a long moment.

"Susie is right, you know,' she sniffed finally. "He does get up before dawn." Scott chuckled and kept one arm around her shoulders as they made their way toward the stair case. She held his hand as she went up the stairs before him.

He was stretched out on her bed when she emerged from the shower and closed her bedroom door behind her. Stretched out on the bed in sweats and he was sound asleep. She laughed a little softly and slipped into her own tee shirt and yoga pants. She ran a comb through her still damp hair and then slipped under the covers next to him. She snuggled against him and drew his arm over her waist. Scott murmured something and pulled her closer. He tucked her head under his chin and breathed deeply. She smiled contentedly and closed her eyes.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS, MOM!" Susan opened her eyes and blinked in the early morning light. She lifted her head and looked up at the window and then at Cosmo's face close to hers.

"Hi, honey," she crooned and kissed him.

"Can I go downstairs now?" he asked excitedly. "To see if Santa has come?" Susan nodded and he raced from the bedroom. She reached over and nudged Scott.

"He's up," she said as she swung her legs off the bed. "Wake up. We're going to miss all the fun." Scott shook his head and blinked in the light.

"What time is it?" he asked as he sat up. "I thought you said he'd be up before the sun." Susie stuck her head in the door.

"Can you believe it?" she said with her eyes wide. "The little wart slept past five o'clock!"

"Merry Christmas to us!" Susan laughed and held out a hand to Scott. He stretched and climbed off her bed. He took her hand and kissed it as he followed them downstairs where Cosmo was shrieking with excitement.


	10. Getting Slammed

"_We need you to come in early asap. Getting slammed." _

"I cannot believe that you aren't scheduled to work again till January second!" Susan complained as she dug through the clothes in her drawer. She unfolded a shirt and looked it over.

"I don't work in the trauma center, hon," Scott said as he shifted himself on top of the quilt that covered her bed. "I'm just on call for my highly trained, very independent med students and interns and residents."

"Well, don't get too comfortable there, bucko," she said as she slipped a navy polo shirt over her red cami top and bra and tucked it into her dark slacks. "Its still my bed and I get to decide who stays in it." Scott grinned slyly.

"Is it okay with you if I take Cosmo sledding today?" he asked. "There's a great hill over by my house. I can check the mail box while we are there."

"Yeah, sure," Susan sighed as she drew a brush through her hair and studied her reflection. "Why not take Susie and Brett too? You can show them how the other half lives and give them all something to aspire too." Scott jumped off the bed and caught her in his arms.

"Why do you do that?" he asked as she struggled playfully in his grasp. He pinned her arms between them and she looked up at him with narrowed eyes and a sultry half smile. "Why do you always put yourself and your house and your life down?" He looked around the comfortable bedroom and sighed.

"You're beautiful. It's homey and happy and I'd much rather be here than there." Susan stilled in his arms and then looped hers around his neck.

"You would, would you?" she asked as her green eyes searched his blue ones.

"I would," he whispered huskily. He pulled her closer and they kissed. His hands slipped from her back and gently tugged at the polo shirt until it was free from her slacks again. Susan tried to pull away.

"Scott," she said against his lips as his hands traced against the silken cloth of her cami. "Cosmo…."

"He's at the table concentrating on that pirate ship Lego thing again," he said as his lips traveled over her jaw to her neck.

"Susie…." she said as she laughed weakly as his hands slipped inside her slacks to the lacy edges of her panties.

"…is engrossed in a hotly contested wii game with her boyfriend," he said as he nibbled at the nape of her neck.

"Oh…god…." she sighed shakily. "We can't. People are…dying….in the er…" He stopped and tipped his head back to look at her face. He reached up to tuck her hair behind her ears as his hips pressed into hers.

"Okay," he sighed reluctantly and drew his brows together in a disappointed frown. "I can't argue with that one." Susan laughed and put her hands on each of his cheeks and kissed him.

"I promise I'll make it up to you," she said as she kissed him.

"Yes…. you will," he growled. She laughed and then grimaced as he tucked the polo shirt back in to her slacks and grabbed her behind.

"Did you just cop a feel?" she gasped.

"Damn straight," he grinned. "And I loved it." His smile changed to a worried frown.

"Didn't you?" Susan snorted and straightened her shirt as she glanced back at him and rolled her eyes.

"Enjoy your day," she groused. "I'm on till 10 which means I should be home around….midnight." Her shoulders sagged and he followed her into the hall and down the stairs.

"Okay," she said as she lifted her coat off the back of the couch. "I shall see you later, guys."

"Bye Mom." Cosmo didn't look up from his building project and the scattered Legos on the table.

"See you, Aunt Susan…" Susie jabbed Brett in the chest with her elbow on the couch and hooted with delight as…something….good happened for her on the television screen.

"Aw….man…." Brett groaned as he worked the buttons on the controller in his hands. "See you later, Dr. Lewis." Susan glanced from one to the other in dismay.

"Yeah….after all, all I do is go to work and fund all the fun in this house," she sighed. Scott laughed as he reached down and fastened the zipper of her jacket and pulled the toggle up. He kissed her again and opened the door for her. Susan looked out at the grey skies and the wet snow on the ground. She shivered.

"Maybe I should just call in sick," she said. "You'd vouch for me, right?" Scott laughed again and pushed her onto the porch.

"Brrr…you're letting all the cold air in," he shivered and closed the door behind them. "Go on. We'll see you later." Susan frowned and headed down the steps to her car. Scott watched and waved from the porch as she started the car and backed it out.

Several hours later Abby glanced over at Susan and shook her head.

"You are really beginning to creep me out now," she said. Susan looked up from the file she was writing in.

"Why?" she asked. Abby dropped her pen and folded her arms in front of her.

"It's been crazy around here and all you can do is smile!" Abby cried. "You haven't made one snarky remark about….anything." Chuny dropped a file onto the desk.

"I've noticed the same thing," she said. Chuny leaned in to look at Susan's earrings. "Are those new?"

"Scott gave them to me for Christmas," Susan said. Chuny's eyes widened.

"They're zircon….." Susan sighed. Chuny leaned in to study the studs a little closer.

"I don't think so," she said slowly. "You might want to have those things insured. Especially if you're going to wear them around this place." Susan's hands went up to her ears as she twisted the diamonds with her fingers. She shook her head in disbelief.

"No," she said as she shook her head. "You're just teasing me." Chuny's eyes met Abby's and the two of them shrugged.

"They're not real!" Susan insisted. "They're not." She glanced toward the waiting room doors and her smiled broadened. Scott lifted a coffee carrier to the window and Susan pushed the button that opened the sliding glass door and he came toward her and set the carrier with four cups on the counter.

"Its low fat," he grinned and nodded toward Abby. "And I remembered you this time…..both of you." Abby and Chuny both reached for a cup from the carrier.

"Thank you!" Abby exclaimed.

"You need to keep this guy around, Susan," Chuny said as she took a sip and moved around Scott.

"They're real," she mouthed to Susan as she passed behind him and laughed, heading for the lounge.

"Do you have a minute?" Scott asked. "Cosmo and Cameron are in the waiting room with hot chocolate. He wants to ask you something." Susan glanced around and Abby nodded.

"Go ahead,' she laughed as she took a sip of her coffee. 'No one is watching." Susan circled the desk and wrapped an arm around his waist as they headed for the waiting room. Cosmo and his friend Cameron were sitting side by side in their snowsuits holding cups of hot chocolate.

"Mom!" Cosmo jumped up from his chair and hurried toward her. Scott grabbed the cup of cocoa from him before he spilled it. Susan sat in an empty seat as Cosmo rummaged through the pockets of his jacket.

"Look what came in Dr. Porter's mailbox!" he exclaimed as he pulled . "It's a Christmas present for me, only it didn't come soon enough. I'm going to hang it on our tree with the rest of them!" Susan took the ornament swinging from his finger in her hand. It was the missing piece from Chuck's collection. An Obi Wan Kenobi ornament. Her throat tightened and it was a moment before she could look up at him again. Cosmo was grinning from ear to ear.

"Isn't it cool, Mom?" he asked. Susan nodded slowly and then looked up at Scott. He grinned and winked.

"It's very, very special, honey," she said as she handed the ornament back to the little boy. "Take good care of it." Cosmo nodded and slipped it back into his pocket.

"Can I spend the night at Cameron's house?" he asked. "Cameron's mom asked me when we picked him up to go sledding at Dr. Porter's house. It was so cool, Mom. He has this really long hill across the street and there were lots of other kids and we went so fast and….."

"Okay, okay!" Susan interrupted him. She smiled and pulled him closer and kissed his red cheeks. Cosmo struggled in her arms.

"Mom!" he protested. Susan laughed and hugged him tighter.

"Have fun," she said as she let him go. "And behave yourself at Cameron's house." Susan looked up at the little boy who had moved next to Cosmo.

"Did you have a nice Christmas, Cameron?" The little boy grinned and nodded, the tassel on the top of his bright knit cap bobbing.

"I got rock band for my wii," he said, his eyes disappearing in his round face as he grinned. "We're going to battle!" Susan laughed. They had been very best friends since Cosmo started at the same school the year before. She had been so surprised to find out the infamous Cameron was Korean. And adopted. It hadn't dawned on Cosmo to tell her either fact and she loved that.

An elderly man slipped into the seat next to her.

"Are you a doctor here?" he asked and held out his hand. It was wrapped in a bloodied dish towel.

"Okay, guys," Scott said brightly and took each boy by the shoulder. "I think we need to go home now and let your mother get back to work," Susan stood up and pressed close to him.

"You are so going to be happy tonight," she whispered in his ear.

"I'm counting on it," he grinned and whispered back. He kissed her lightly and winked again as he guided the two little boys back to the door. Susan watched them for a moment and then turned her attention to the patient's bloody hand.

"Come on," she said gently. "Let's get you back to an exam room. How did this happen anyway?' The man stood up and started talking but she wasn't really hearing him. Her thoughts were with the man taking her son and his friend away.


	11. Spending the Night

"_Spending the night with Brooke. Enjoy!" _

Susan had actually blushed when she'd gotten the text message from her niece. The girl was too wise beyond her years for Susan's comfort sometimes. It had been a rough night in the ER and she was tired. The thought of going home to a quieter house and knowing that she had the next day off was soothing as she drove through the darkened streets. Christmas lights still blinked on some homes, including her own. She sat in the car for a moment after turning the key off and just looked up at their duplex. Scott had called it homey and happy and he was right. Sometimes though, it felt as if it were bursting at the seams…..especially since they'd gotten the dog. But Susie would be gone to college in the fall. The house would be emptier then. Lots emptier. Sadly emptier.

Susan got out and locked the car doors with her remote as she made her way to the porch. She unlocked her door. Fudge came to greet her as she came inside with his tail wagging. She dropped her bag on the couch and took off her coat. She tossed it over the back of the couch and knelt down to rub the dog's ears. He whined and nudged her hands for more. Her Kenny G Christmas disk was playing softly on the cd player and there were candles burning on the dining table. It had been cleared of Lego pieces and was set for two with plates and silver, two glasses and a small bottle of wine. A half of a cheese cake sat in the center of the table. She looked up as Scott leaned against the kitchen door watching her. She smiled.

"Did you wear that just for me?" he asked. Susan looked down at the green scrubs she was wearing and then shook her head as she stood up.

"No," she laughed. "Six year old twins decided to present me with their stomach contents during an exam. I showered and changed at the hospital." The dog nudged at her legs again.

"Fudge," Scott said firmly. The dog looked at him and then bounded over to get the rawhide bone he held in his hand. The chocolate brown lab took the bone and then settled down near the Christmas tree to chew on it. Susan moved toward him and Scott wrapped his arms around her.

"Tough shift?" he asked as he kissed the top of her head. Susan shrugged and then eyed the table again.

"Cheesecake?" she leaned toward the table and shook her head. "That's ten times worse than a peppermint mocha latte." She reached out and touched a finger to the cookie crust and brought a crumb to her tongue.

"I've got some nice, healthy strawberries to put on top of it," he said. "Have a seat and I'll be right back." He held out a chair for her and then went back to the kitchen. She leaned on the table and grinned as he set a bowl of freshly cleaned strawberries in front of her and then sat at the other chair.

"What happened to the other half?" she asked as he cut a thin slice and put it on her plate.

"I gave it to Susie to take with her to Brooke's house," he said as he cut a slice for himself. Susan spooned sliced strawberries onto her plate and then his as he opened the small bottle of wine and poured some in her glass. She picked it up to taste it.

"Oh, yeah…" she said as she held her glass out for him to fill. Scott grinned and obliged her before filling his own.

"Canadian ice wine," he said. "Its made from frozen grapes. Did you know that one frozen grape makes one drop of wine?"

"Did you know that Brooke is Brett's older sister?" Susan asked as she took a sip of the wine. Her eyes squinted in laughter as Scott stopped and stared at her.

"So I basically gave a sixteen year old the okay to spend the night at her boyfriend's house," he said as his eyes widened.

"Basically," she set her glass down on the table and then took a bite of the cheesecake. She closed her eyes as she savored the creamy cake and fruit.

"I needed this," she sighed. "Its been a long, long day." He nodded and took another sip of his wine.

"So is my sense of observation correct and you aren't wearing anything under those scrubs?" Susan chortled and grinned at him.

"Indeed," she grinned. "Everything is in a bag in the trunk of my car. They got a little soaked." Scott nodded and his eyes never left her face as he took another drink.

"Saves me some time," he shrugged. Susan grimaced and looked at him for a long moment. She suddenly jumped up from her chair and raced to the staircase. Scott took another rapid swallow of wine and raced after her, his chair flipping over to the floor. Susan laughed as he reached in the middle of the staircase and then shrieked softly as he tugged at the hem of the scrub top and caught her off guard. She raced him to the bedroom door and laughed as he whipped his shirt over his head and closed the door behind them.

She came awake slowly the next morning and shifted her bare feet very carefully in the sheets of the bed. They were snuggled close, bare skin to bare skin and her head was resting in the crook his arm. His other hand cupped one of her breasts, a thumb gently and slowly caressing the nipple.

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly, her eyes still closed.

"Hoping for a little 'good morning' sex action," he whispered softly. She smiled a little and just relaxed, enjoying the warm sensations that surrounded her.

"Did you breast feed Cosmo?" he asked as his fingers slowly massaged the full flesh and then slowly dragged to the other breast.

"Um hmmm," she nodded. "So did Chuck." His fingers stopped and she laughed softly.

"He bought one of those male lactation things with tubes and straps and things to hold pumped breast milk," she sighed slowly. "It didn't last long though. He couldn't handle the sore nipples." Scott chuckled in her ear.

"Neither could my ex," he said as he nibbled on her ear lobe. "But it was okay because I got to do some of those early morning feedings. There's nothing like early morning…" She hummed softly and nodded. His hand slid slowly over the soft skin of her rib cage and caressed the not so flat tummy for a while. The tips of his fingers lightly traced the ectopic and hysterectomy scars below her navel before traveling a little lower. She took a deep breath and turned in his arms.

"Okay, my turn," she said quickly. He opened his eyes and she looked at him with a smile.

"Good morning," she said. Scott grinned and kissed her forehead. She brought her hands up between them and spread her fingers against his bare chest. Susan kissed his cheeks slowly and then worked her way down the light beard stubble to his neck. His arms tightened around her as her fingers played with his nipples and then slipped lower between them to his stomach. The muscles were hard and contracted and his breaths came slow and deeper as she kissed his shoulder and traced her lips to his chest.

"So you like this early morning thing, huh?" she said.

"I love this early morning thing," he said softly. "And I really do love you." His words were swallowed as he rolled her over in the bed and braced himself over her with his hands. Susan looked up at him with wide eyes. He grinned and leaned down to kiss her.

After they had showered, she went down to the kitchen and let the dog outside. Her thoughts were spinning in her head as she cleared away the remnants from the night before and took bacon and eggs from the refrigerator. She was frying the bacon and making scrambled eggs when he made his way into the kitchen. She grinned and he kissed her before opening the refrigerator for a bottle of juice. Wordlessly he set the table and helped carry things from the kitchen.

"Did the dog get the rest of the cheesecake?" he asked as he dug into the steaming, yellow eggs.

"I'm afraid so," she frowned.

"I hope he enjoyed his dessert as much as I did mine," Scott snickered as he reached for her hand. He gave it a little squeeze and went back to his breakfast.

"This is good," he said. Susan finally set her fork down and he looked up at her.

"What's wrong?" he asked. She sighed heavily.

"What's going on here, Scott?" she asked finally. He looked down at her plate and then back to her face.

"We're….eating breakfast?" he said slowly.

"I don't mean here…" Susan said and then gestured to the room. "I mean here. What are we doing?"

Scott lifted a piece of bacon to his mouth and studied her seriously as he chewed.

"Are you mad at me because I said I loved you?" he asked.

"No," she shook her head. "I'm not. But I just feel like we might be moving a little too fast…..or something." Her voice trailed off and he grinned.

"This from the woman who got married after a weekend in Vegas?" he chuckled.

"And was signing divorce papers a week later," Susan said defensively. He swallowed and dropped his fork onto the table.

"Here we go," he sighed softly.

"I care about you, Scott," she said. "I really, really do but I just think you may be making plans for us that we're really not ready to make just yet."

"Plans….." His voice was flat as he looked up at the ceiling.

"I feel like we should just….slow down….or something," Susan shook her head.

"Slow down…" Scott sighed and reached for another piece of bacon. He slipped it into his mouth and chewed on it thoughtfully. He pushed his chair away form the table and stood up. He stooped and kissed her cheek.

"Good bye, Susan," he said softly.

"Scott, please don't be mad at me" she said as he crossed the room to the door.

"I'm not….mad," he said as he took his coat from the closet. Susan stood up and watched him slip his arms into his coat and then pull his car keys from the pocket.

"I don't want to hurt you," she said.

"I'm not hurt," he replied.

"Scott….." she implored quietly. He looked at her seriously and then tossed his keys up in the air and caught them in his hand again.

"My girls are coming back tomorrow," he said. "I need to go home and get ready for them." He held up a hand in a wave and then left. Susan stood very still. What had she done?

She tried calling him and he didn't answer his phone. She tried texting him and there was no response. She cleaned up their breakfast dishes and then brought the boxes for the Christmas ornaments up from the basement. She collected bulbs and put them in their boxes before starting on the other ornaments. Casey had hung the stars near the top of the tree. Susan studied the intricately folded and waxed German star that was left from her grandmother's collection before she slipped it into the small shoe box. The glitter that had once covered it was almost gone and the color in the paper faded. Then she found the one she had made in second grade and the handprint star from Cosmo's first Christmas. She put the top on the box and put it with the other ornaments in the crate. A larger shoe box was for Chuck's Star Wars collection. She found them all in one spot on the lower branches. She held the Obi Wan ornament in her hand for a long moment and smiled a little as she remembered Cosmo's delight when he showed first it to her. Was that only yesterday? She sighed and laid the ornament with the others in the cottony batting in the box they were stored in. She was just putting the box into the crate when the door opened and Susie and Cosmo came in.

"Hey," Susan grinned as she reached for another empty box.

"I was planning to help with that!" Susie exclaimed as she hung her coat in the closet and grabbed Cosmo by the back of his shirt so he'd pick his coat up off the floor.

"Oh, I know," Susan said as she reached for another ornament. "I just got an early start. You can do the lights. Cosmo, let the dog in please?" He nodded and raced for the kitchen and the back door.

"Where's Dr. Porter?" Susie asked as she moved to the tree and handed Susan an ornament. "Did he get called into work?" Susan shook her head.

"No," she said as she blinked her eyes and glanced at Susie. "I may have messed that up." Susie's mouth dropped and her hands dropped to her sides. Susan looked at her again and she smiled ruefully.

"Can I have a hug?" she asked. Susie nodded wordlessly and wrapped her arms around her aunt.


	12. I Can Drive

"_I can drive when you are ready to leave." _

Abby was waiting for her when she walked out of the ambulance bay to the sidewalk. Susan waved as the lights on the car blinked and then climbed into the passenger side of the car.

"I thought you left an hour ago?" she said as she buckled the seatbelt. Abby shrugged as she started the engine and watched traffic before she pulled onto the street.

"I had some shopping to do," Abby said absently. "Its impossible to find cheese anywhere on New Year's Eve."

"You're going to the staff New Year's Eve party then?" Susan asked as she looked out the window.

"Aren't you?" Abby frowned. "I thought you and Scott were planning on…" Susan shook her head and picked at something stuck to the window with her fingernail.

"His girls came home from Hawaii yesterday," she said. "I haven't talked to him."

"Okay…." Abby's frown deepened. "What's going on? What happened?"

"Nothing…." she said.

"Susan," Abby implored. "I am your best friend. Tell me." She glanced from the street to Susan and back while she waited.

"Things were just going too fast, that's all," Susan shrugged. She glanced over at Abby and frowned warningly.

"And don't give me that line about being the one who got married after a weekend in Vegas," she said. "Scott already pointed that one out." Abby suppressed a smile.

"Well, it's true…." she said quietly. Susan rolled her eyes and shook her head. She sighed.

"Everything happens to me too damn fast," she said. "One minute I am single and the next I am married then signing divorce papers then having a baby then raising a teenager and then…." Her voice trailed off. Abby glanced at her again.

"Susan," she said quietly. "None of that has turned out to be bad."

"Chuck died," Susan said flatly as she looked out the window again.

"Well, that was bad," Abby agreed as she nodded and watched the road in front of them. "Yeah, that was really bad."

"Before, there was no Cosmo to consider. Or Susie," Susan went on. "And there are his girls. And the evil ex mother in law…." Abby laughed and shook her head.

"All the makings of a perfect Disney movie," she said. Susan looked over at her and chuckled.

"So all that's missing is…..Prince Charming?" Abby mused.

"I'm no one's Cinderella, Abby," Susan said. Abby grimaced.

"Oh, I always preferred Belle," she said thoughtfully. "No wait….that's me because I like to read and we all know that Luka is a much better Beast." She shrugged.

"Sorry," she said. "You have to be Cinderella because Scott Porter fits the bill as a very handsome Prince Charming." Susan chuckled again. She took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

"Nothing changes at midnight," she said softly. "There isn't always a 'happily ever after.'" Abby pulled the car into the driveway and turned off the engine.

"Come to the party," she said after a moment. "Please?" Susan thought carefully and then shook her head.

"No," she said. 'I think I would rather stay home and usher in the New Year with my little guy." Abby nodded and gazed at her sadly.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I don't like to see you sad." Susan forced a smile and then reached over to hug her.

"Thank you," she said. Abby nodded and they got out of the car. Susan waited as her friend took a shopping bag out of the back seat and they headed up the sidewalk to the porch.

"Beauty and the Beast?" Susan grimaced questionably as they climbed the steps.

"Well, right now its Captain Jack Sparrow and a captive maiden from a seaside town but….." Abby said brightly. Susan held up a hand to stop her.

"Stop!" she laughed. "I don't need to know any more!" Abby laughed and unlocked the front door.

"Happy New Year!" she said as she waved her hand.

"Have fun tonight," Susan said as she opened her own door. Abby nodded.

The television was blaring and her dad was snoring in the recliner when she closed the door behind her. Susan grinned affectionately as she quietly hung her coat in the closet. She switched off the television with the remote from the table and switched on the light. She leaned over and kissed her dad on the forehead and shook his shoulder.

"Dad," she said. "I'm home." Henry snorted and then shook his head as he opened his eyes.

"Oh, hi, honey," he said as he sat up and pushed the foot rest down on the chair.

"Do you want to stay for pizza and maybe watch the ball drop with us?" she asked. He stretched.

"No, I don't think so," he sighed as he stood up. "My grandson kept me outside most of the afternoon and all that fresh air really did this old man in." Susan nodded and pulled his coat from the closet.

"Cosmo," she called. "Come and say good by to Grandpa. He's going home." There was a clatter from upstairs and Cosmo came jumping down with a Lego ship in his hands.

"Bye Grandpa!" he said as he leaned into the man for a hug. Henry patted the little boy on the back and kissed the top of his head.

"I had fun today, buddy," he said and then hugged Susan.

"Now Susie is…" he started to say as he released her.

"I know," Susan nodded. "She has my car. She's working as a designated driver with her Students Against Drunk Driving group tonight."

"Will she be okay, doing that?" Henry asked as Susan followed him out onto the porch.

"She'll be fine," Susan nodded "They have a blast. They just order pizza and watch movies all night. They go out in teams if anyone calls them for a ride home." Henry nodded and waved before climbing into his car.

"Happy New Year!" she called as he pulled out. Henry waved again as he drove away. Susan shivered in the cold evening air and went back inside. Cosmo had set the Lego pirate ship on the coffee table in front of the couch and was playing with the figures from the set. Susan sighed and sat on the couch in front of him.

"Are you happy, Mom?" Cosmo asked out of the blue. Susan studied him for a moment.

"I am exceptionally happy," Susan smiled finally. "I am here with you and not at work so that makes me a happy mom."

"But don't you miss Dr. Porter?" he tipped his head quizzically and made a blasting sound as he flicked one of the pirates off the ship and onto the table. "Because I do." Susan picked up the television guide beside her and flipped through the pages.

"Its only been three days, Cosmo," she said. "We'll see him again some time."

"But wouldn't it be better if he lived here with us all the time?" he asked as he scratched his freckled nose. Susan dropped the booklet down into her lap and looked at him again.

"He has Molly and Casey to look after," she said. "I think it would be kind of crowded here with all of us, don't you?" Cosmo thought for a moment as he put several pirate figures into a little life boat on the ship. He shrugged.

"Things would work out," he said finally. "Susie said that if the grown ups are happy then the kids will be happy so it would work out, I guess."

"Susie said that?" she asked. Cosmo nodded and brushed the thick, straight hair off his face.

"What are we ever going to do when our wise old Susie goes off to college?" Susan shook her head in feigned wonderment.

"Go visit her a lot, I guess," Cosmo sighed. Susan laughed and slipped the shoes off her feet. Cosmo looked up at her and smiled.

"Come here." Susan patted the couch next to her. Cosmo grinned and climbed up beside her. Susan wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close. He scowled happily as she kissed his cheek.

"I am trying decide what we should have for dinner tonight," she sighed. "Are you going to be able to stay awake with me until midnight?" Cosmo nodded and looked up at her.

"Can we have Cameron?" he asked hopefully. Susan frowned.

"Cameron for dinner?" she scowled in distaste. "I am not so sure he would be all that tasty."

"No, Mom," Cosmo sighed and rolled his eyes. "To spend the night!" He laughed and shook his head as Susan screwed her face up in thought.

"I guess so," she said finally. Cosmo bounced happily next to her.

"His phone number is in the address book next to my bed," she said. Cosmo jumped up and hurried up the stairs. Susan watched him go and then sighed heavily. She looked up as the doorbell rang.

"I'm coming," she called as she stood up and headed for the door. She pulled it open without checking the peep hole first and stopped short. Her heart began to pound in her chest. He was standing in the dusk on the porch. There was a dark turtle neck under the plaid shirt he wore tucked into his jeans. He'd gotten a haircut.

"Hi," he said. "I don't know if you remember me but we sat next to one another on our flight to Florida? My name is Scott Porter."

"I didn't mean to go that slow, smart ass," she said softly as she stepped out onto the porch and closed the door behind her. His cheek worked a bit and his eyes twinkled as he cleared his throat.

'Well, anyway," he started again. "I think you made sort of an impression on my daughters. They just spent Christmas in Hawaii with their grandparents and made you something while they were there. I was supposed to find you again and…..give this to you." He held out a small white box wrapped with a red ribbon with a big bow on the top. Susan swallowed and took it from him. He watched her as she slowly untied the satin ribbon and took the top off. Tears flooded her eyes as she looked at the contents. She lifted a small star out of the box and studied it. It had been folded and woven from strips of palm leaves.

"There are two of them. One from Casey and one from Molly," he said softly. "For your Christmas tree. Apparently there was some sort of craft class at the resort where they stayed." Susan nodded and put the star back into the box. She replaced the top and then slipped slowly into his arms. Tears dripped down her cheeks as he held her close. Scott was shaking as he took her face in his hands and kissed her.

"I think we need to start this all over," he said softly as their foreheads touched. "Now, you can put your shoes back on we can go to your staff's Christmas slash New Year's party like we planned or we can pack your delightful son up and take him to my house and I can let my housekeeper go home to her husband. He would probably appreciate that." Susan nodded slowly and looked at the box in her hand. She sighed heavily and hugged him again. She wiped the tears off her face as she moved to open the door. She turned back to him.

"Oh, I forgot," she said quickly. "We're inviting Cameron to spend the night." Scott shrugged.

"Ah...Cameron? The kid with the never ending questions?" He frowned a little and then sighed.

"The more the merrier, right?" he said with a wide eyed smile. "We can pick him up on the way." She looked at him and nodded slowly.

"It's a brand new year, babe," he said. "Everything changes at midnight, right?" Susan gasped softly and then a slow smile spread across her face. She glanced over at the second front window and Abby was peeking out of the curtain. She held up her thumb and Susan laughed.

"Oh my god, I can't believe I am saying this," Susan laughed as she hugged Scott again. "I guess I am…..Cinderella!" He laughed and swung her around in the darkening night on the porch of the duplex.

The End


End file.
